California Code of Regulations
Title 23 - Waters
Division 4 - Regional Water Quality Control Boards
Chapter 1 - Water Quality Control Plans, Policies, and Guidelines
Article 3 - Central Coast Region
Section 3929.10 - Lower Salinas River and Reclamation Canal Basin, and the Moro Cojo Slough Subwatershed Total Maximum Daily Loads and Implementation Plan for Nitrate, Nitrogen, Unionized Ammonia and Orthophosphate
On March 14, 2013, the Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Coast Region (Water Board) adopted Resolution No. R3-2013-0008, amending the Water Quality Control Plan for the Central Coast Region (Basin Plan). The State Water Resources Control Board approved the Basin Plan amendment on February 4, 2014 by Resolution 2014-0008.
Resolution No. R3-2013-0008 establishes the Lower Salinas River and Reclamation Canal Basin and the Moro Cojo Slough Subwatershed Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) and Implementation Plan for nitrate, nitrogen, unionized ammonia and orthophosphate. The TMDLs address nutrient-related impairments of the lower Salinas Valley, which includes the following waterbodies: Alisal Creek, Alisal Slough, Blanco Drain, Chualar Creek, Esperanza Creek, Espinosa Slough, Gabilan Creek, Merrit Ditch, Moro Cojo Slough, Natividad Creek, Old Salinas River, Quail Creek, the Reclamation Canal, the Lower Salinas River (downstream of Gonzalez), Salinas River Lagoon (north), Santa Rita Creek, and Tembladero Slough.
Current nutrient and nutrient-related impairments in lower Salinas Valley waters are impairing a range of current or potential designated beneficial uses including aquatic habitat (COLD, WARM, SPWN), drinking water supply (MUN), groundwater recharge (GWR), water contact recreation (REC-1), and agricultural supply (AGR). The TMDLs set numeric targets for nitrate, nitrogen, unionized ammonia, orthophosphate, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a, and microcystins consistent with the Basin Plan narrative and numeric water quality objectives protective of the aforementioned beneficial uses.
Responsibility for achieving waste load allocations and load allocations falls upon several entities as described in the Basin Plan amendment. An implicit margin of safety is utilized in the TMDLs to account for uncertainties. The Water Board is relying on existing regulatory measures (i.e., the Agricultural Order and storm water permits) to ensure implementation actions are carried out by implementing parties. Interim and final implementation milestones of 12, 20, and 30 years are established for showing progress and achieving the TMDLs. The Water Board will track progress towards achieving the TMDLs through review of implementation actions and monitoring conducted by the implementing parties. Water Board staff will conduct triennial reviews of implementation actions and monitoring results.
1. New section summarizing amendments to basin plan filed 5-7-2014; amendment approved by State Water Resources Control Board Resolution No. 2014-0008 on 2-4-2014; amendment approved by OAL pursuant to Government Code section 11353 on 5-7-2014 (Register 2014, No. 19).
